1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a color image reading apparatus and a method of reading a color image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A color image reading apparatus, including color line image sensors arranged in a sub-scanning direction with predetermined intervals, for reading an image and outputting color signals is known. FIG. 2 is an illustration of a prior art color line image sensor device. A prior art image reading apparatus using the line image sensor device shown in FIG. 2 reads and outputs color signals with output timings of the color signals adjusted in accordance with intervals between respective color line image sensors and fixed scanning pitch in the main scanning direction. A blue color image sensor 4c is apart from a red color image sensor 4a by 14 .mu.m, i.e., one line of 300 dots/inch, and a green color image sensor 4b is apart from the red color image sensor 4a by 154 .mu.m, i.e., eleven lines of 300 dots/inch. The scanning pitch is defined by the intervals between these color line sensors, that is, one line of 300 dots/inch. In this color image reading apparatus, enlargement is effected by line interpolating. The line interpolating provides a maximum enlargement ratio, for example 200%, and then the color image reading apparatus skipingly outputs the interpolated color signals to obtain a desired enlargement ratio, for example 110%.